Sort stations for sorting items have been available for many years. Such stations are useful in, for example, sorting packages into sort bins based on the destination of the packages. In general, a loader sorts packages into the sort bins on one side of the sort station, and, when a sort bin needs to be unloaded, the loader communicates to a bagger on the other side of the sort station to unload the bin. Upon receiving the communication from the loader to unload the sort bin, the bagger unloads the packages from the sort bin into one or more bags. After unloading the bin, the bagger communicates to the loader that the bin is empty and ready to be loaded again. This communication between the loader and the bagger is paramount for efficient operation of the sort station. Because the loader and bagger usually cannot see each other, they may rely on verbal communication to indicate when a particular sort bin needs to be unloaded or when a particular sort bin is empty. However, verbal communication is typically ineffective because sort station environments are usually noisy. Other systems may employ a communication panel located near the sort station that displays lights to indicate the status of each bin and receives input from the operators regarding the status. However, the operators (i.e., the loader and the bagger) must check the communication panel for the status of a bin (e.g., “full” or “bagged”) and must move away from the sort bin and toward the communication panel to provide input regarding the status of the sort bin, which increases the operators' processing times. In addition, the components of the electronic visual communication systems are expensive and require regular maintenance.
Thus, there is a need for a simple, reliable, and cost-effective communication system for sort stations.